WASHINGTON -- Earlier this week, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) hosted its annual Caucus Training Summit with over 60 Democratic caucus staff from 34 state legislative chambers for a two-day training covering everything from best field practices, digital fundraising, data and targeting, messaging, and more.

DLCC Executive Director Jessica Post also announced three new hires as the organization continues to expand its operations ahead of the 2018 midterm elections and prepare state Democrats for success ahead of redistricting in 2020.

“Over the past cycle, the DLCC has achieved remarkable growth, harnessing Democrats’ enthusiasm to engage in more states and provide more resources to our caucuses and legislators than ever before,” Post stated. “As we continue our work to rebuild the Democratic Party from the ground up, we have expanded our team and underscored our organization’s preeminence and unmatched expertise at the state legislative level. We are proud of our work to flip 40 seats from red to blue since Trump was elected, and we look forward to winning more Democratic seats and legislative majorities nationwide.”

The DLCC recently welcomed three additional Regional Political Directors to the team:

Brett Cooper will serve as a Regional Political Director for Northeastern States. Cooper joins the DLCC from EMILY’s List, where he served as State & Local Regional Director for the Northeast, recruiting, training, and providing strategic support to pro-choice Democratic women candidates for statewide, legislative, and local offices. Cooper has over 14 years of political experience, including work on redistricting issues with AFSCME, civic engagement programs with the NEA and minority candidate development at SEIU. He graduated from Elon University with a BA in Political Science.

Shawn Werner will serve as a Regional Political Director for Western States. Werner was most recently the National Political Director at Gill Action, an organization dedicated to advancing full equality for LGBTQ Americans in the states. Previously, Werner served as the Director of Political Operations for Freedom to Marry, the national campaign to legalize marriage for same-sex couples. He also served as the Political Director for the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. Werner will be based in Denver and graduated from Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA.

Mitchell Stille will serve as a Regional Political Director. Stille was most recently the National Campaign Director for NARAL Pro-Choice America where he oversaw campaign planning and execution of electoral and voter education programs. Prior to his work at NARAL, Stille was Deputy Field Director for the AFL-CIO, directing the organizations’ field operations from Ohio to California. Stille will also be based in Denver and graduated from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri.

Post also congratulated DLCC Data Director Tara Brosnan on being recognized by DCFemTech, a coalition of women leaders aimed at lowering entry barriers for women in tech by amplifying the efforts and achievements of women working in the technology field. Brosnan is one of 54 women to receive an award from DCFemTech this year, out of 620 nominations.

“The DLCC is incredibly lucky to have Tara Brosnan leading our Data Department, and we are proud of the work she has accomplished setting up a framework so our instate and national partners have access to the DLCC’s unparalleled data,” said Post. “Thanks to Tara’s ingenuity, the DLCC has been able to provide our legislative leaders and caucuses with cutting edge data, advise national partners on where to invest, run a successful campaign to thwart Nevada Republicans’ bogus recall efforts, and prepare for what’s ahead in 2018. On behalf of everyone at the DLCC, we congratulate Tara on this well-deserved award.”

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is the only organization exclusively committed to electing Democrats to state legislatures all over the country and winning Democratic control of chambers. For over two decades, the DLCC has been working with state legislative leaders to invest strategically in state programs, which has led to Democrats flipping 40 seats since Trump's inauguration. The DLCC is building on Democrats’ winning momentum and continues to lay the groundwork for substantial gains in 2018 in statehouses nationwide. State Democrats recently scored critical victories in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, and elsewhere, while also leading the resistance against the Trump administration’s extremist policies. You can learn more about critical upcoming elections and follow DLCC’s Spotlight Races at races.dlcc.org.

For more information or to schedule an interview with the DLCC, please contact Mara Sloan at mara@dlcc.org.

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